Bridgewater College has announced a one-to-one $250,000 challenge grant from The Robert G. Cabell III and Maude Morgan Cabell Foundation, in Richmond, Va., to help fund the renovation of the Alexander Mack Memorial Library to create the new hub of learning on campus, the John Kenny Forrer Learning Commons.

In order to obtain the grant, Bridgewater must raise $250,000 in cash and pledges by Dec. 31, 2019.

“We are grateful to partner with The Cabell Foundation on this challenge grant, which provides critical momentum during the final phase of the fundraising campaign,” said Bridgewater College President Dr. David Bushman. “This challenge grant will help cement Bridgewater’s ongoing commitment to engaged learning between students, faculty and the community—both in and out of the classroom.”

The Forrer Learning Commons will serve as an active learning space and focal point for connected learning for Bridgewater’s academic community. The facility will house the library’s collections and serve as a learning hub with media production, peer coaching and tutoring, writing center, career center, IT help desk, and research and information literacy support.

The facility will also hold multiple flexible study spaces for students, from small and large group meeting spaces to two engaged learning classrooms and a practice presentation room. The Forrer Commons will also feature private study carrels, conversational gathering spaces and a café.

Groundbreaking for the Forrer Commons took place in May 2018. Expected completion date is fall 2019.

Founded in 1957, The Cabell Foundation was established as a private, non-operating foundation to support the permanent needs of charitable organizations throughout Virginia, with particular emphasis on agencies in the metro Richmond region.

Bridgewater College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in the Central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Founded in 1880, it was the state’s first private, coeducational college. Today, Bridgewater College is home to nearly 1,900 undergraduate students.

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